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FReeper advice needed: newborn with middle ear infection.
26 DEC 10 | dcbryan1

Posted on 12/26/2010 9:52:43 AM PST by DCBryan1

Need some advice for peace of mind of the wife and I. We have a beautiful baby boy, almost 4 mos. old (next week) that had a high fever last weekend before Christmas. Monday we took him in and Dr. said that his cold/upper respiratory infection has given him a secondary inner ear infection ( acute otitis media (AOM).

The good Dr. gave us Cifdinir (Omnicef) 3/4 TSP for 10 days and thankfully his fever has gone. However, this Christmas has been a nightmare for Mom and I due to his frequent waking and screaming. His schedule over Christmas was sleep 45 minutes, wake screaming for half an hour, and then take an hour to get back to bed. So for every half hour he sleeps, Mom and Dad DONT sleep for 2 hours.

New symptom this AM is when we went to give him a warm bath, we noticed green/yellow fluid in the ear that he tugs at and you cannot touch without setting him off. We called the Dr. Exchange and got a nurse to call back that said to keep giving infant tylenol and maybe to try olive oil 3 drops, every 3 hours until they can see him Mon 8AM.

This is the same black nurse that said to alternate Ibuprofen and Tylenol (which is a BIG NO NO in <6mos) so of course, I questioned her methods.

I called a family friend who is an ER pediatrican and he said that he had NEVER heard of olive oil as a remedy, but heard that blacks like to use something called "sweet water", but doesn't suggest its use.

Anways, Dr. friend said that we are doing the right thing with Tylenol every 4 hours (0.8 ML/every 4 hours) and keeping up with the Omnicef (Cifdinir) and to just deal with it.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Daily Prayer; Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: dailyprayer; earinfection; fever; pain; pediatrics; prayer; prayerrequest
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I just wanted to know if any other FReeper moms have experienced inner ear infections in young infants and what you think we should do?

Going stir crazy at Christmas....thanks for your advice and prayers!

Oh, and our little angel says Merry Christmas!

1 posted on 12/26/2010 9:52:46 AM PST by DCBryan1
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To: DCBryan1

Congratulations on the baby!

Ask your pediatrician how soon the baby can get “tubes” put in the ears. Tubes work wonders for preventing ear infections and for helping them speak more clearly.


2 posted on 12/26/2010 9:58:02 AM PST by BwanaNdege ("a comeuppance is due the arrogant elites" - Charles Krauthammer)
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To: DCBryan1

Powder..patch..ball FIRE!

Olive oil in the ear (warmed not hot) is the best for children with ear infections. Have used it many times on my 5 kids and grandkids. pour a little in the ear and put a small cotton ball to hold it in.

Twenty minutes later you will notice a difference.

Trust me. Works every time.


3 posted on 12/26/2010 9:58:40 AM PST by BallandPowder
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To: DCBryan1
Ear and throat infections and tonsillitis at age 6 months. Never got it under control and removed his tonsils before age 2. That took care of it. Infections in little ones are difficult.
4 posted on 12/26/2010 9:58:58 AM PST by Ditter
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To: DCBryan1

Try sleeping in the recliner semi-upright with him laying on your chest. Being in an upright position will help his ear a great deal. Laying down hurts their little ear the worst when they have an ear infection. My kids only had one ear infection each and both had them right at about 6 months of age.


5 posted on 12/26/2010 10:00:24 AM PST by Qwackertoo (New Day In America November 03, 2010)
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To: BallandPowder

Does it matter what kind of olive oil? Virgin? etc?


6 posted on 12/26/2010 10:00:30 AM PST by DCBryan1 (FORGET the lawyers...first kill the "journalists". (Die Ritter der Kokosnuss))
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To: BallandPowder

Powder..patch..ball FIRE!

Olive oil also goes by the name “sweet oil”, you will not be sorry and your kiddo will appreciate the relief.


7 posted on 12/26/2010 10:00:44 AM PST by BallandPowder
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To: BallandPowder

Any olive oil. Just warm it in a spoon and check with your tongue to make sure not to hot.


8 posted on 12/26/2010 10:01:51 AM PST by BallandPowder
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To: DCBryan1

and IF a pediatrician wants to put tubes in your kids ears after his first ear infection . . . find a new pediatrician.


9 posted on 12/26/2010 10:02:05 AM PST by Qwackertoo (New Day In America November 03, 2010)
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To: DCBryan1

Cute kid.
The ear infections are normal.
You’re going to have to rough it out till tomorrow.

An anti inflammatory should help, but I am no Dr.
Good luck.


10 posted on 12/26/2010 10:02:31 AM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: BwanaNdege

Tubes in the ear don’t come without risks, though. If this is his first ear infection, I wouldn’t be too quick to subject my baby to surgery. My oldest son got frequent ear and throat infections, but my pediatrician didn’t believe in putting tubes. My son eventually outgrew them and he is fine. I used ear drops whenever his ear hurt him and they helped a lot.


11 posted on 12/26/2010 10:02:58 AM PST by murron (Proud Mom of a Marine Vet)
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To: hocndoc

Merry Christmas to you and Hoc!

Got any suggestions for DCBryan1?
I think the tylenol is the correct course for now.


12 posted on 12/26/2010 10:05:30 AM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: DCBryan1

Have the baby sleep in his car seat or swing so he is sitting up. He should stay asleep longer when he is not lying down flat. One parent can also try driving him around in the car while the other parent stays home and sleeps. Find a medical clinic that is open on Sundays. Some of the Walgreen/CVS type clinics are open on Sundays. Our younger child had recurrent ear infections as an infant/toddler. His ear pain usually disappeared within 24 hours of his first dose of the prescribed antibiotic. You have my sympathies. You will have better Christmases.


13 posted on 12/26/2010 10:06:57 AM PST by Padams
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To: DCBryan1

I just stumbled on this article two days ago while looking at other garlic home remedies. Don’t know if it’s any good or not as I haven’t tested myself yet.

http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/garlic-infections.shtml


14 posted on 12/26/2010 10:07:12 AM PST by Domandred (Fdisk, format, and reinstall the entire .gov system.)
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To: DCBryan1
New symptom this AM is when we went to give him a warm bath, we noticed green/yellow fluid in the ear that he tugs at and you cannot touch without setting him off.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Green/yellow fluid in the ear canal?

It is time to take him to a 24 hour urgent care.

15 posted on 12/26/2010 10:09:07 AM PST by wintertime (Re: Obama, Rush Limbaugh said, "He was born here." ( So? Where's the proof?))
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To: BwanaNdege
I'm 70. Olive oil is a very old remedy and it works well.

This is a baby...My thought is to let the baby sleep on your warm chest...with the bad ear down. Put a cloth diaper or soft cloth under the babies ear so you can see it draining.

Infections come with fevers. I'd constantly check it. These new thermometers suck. Make sure ytou calibrate it among someone healthy in the family....and take it more than once.

CALL YOUR OPEDIATRICIAN AGAIN IF NECESSARY...THAT'S THEIR JOB!!!

16 posted on 12/26/2010 10:09:57 AM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: DCBryan1
I still remember how much my first ear infection hurt (sort of) and I sure remember how much I cried.

Parenting is preparation for sainthood.

Godspeed.

17 posted on 12/26/2010 10:10:51 AM PST by the invisib1e hand ("Three hostile newspapers are more to be feared than 200 swords" - Napoleon Bonapart)
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To: DCBryan1
...black nurse...

am I reading this right?

18 posted on 12/26/2010 10:12:59 AM PST by the invisib1e hand ("Three hostile newspapers are more to be feared than 200 swords" - Napoleon Bonapart)
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To: DCBryan1

I don’t like greenish yellow drainage from any semiclosed wound or orifice along with the descriptions of extreme crying and symptoms of pain. The drop of fever can simply be the tylenol masking an underlying process and certain types of infections as in gram negative types exhibit temps that are subnormal than usual.

You’ve already had the kid on meds for 10 days(from “before the previous weekend”), now you have purilent drainage. Get the kid in NOW to see the doctor! The child is 4 months old. Olive oil???? That nurse(not a doctor) was telling you to stick something into a child’s ear that had active drainage?!!! Go today to have your child seen....! The drainage needs to be cultured to find a more suitable antibiotic.

(I’m not just playing medicine, I’ve been an RN for 25 years and an ICU nurse for the past 11 years)


19 posted on 12/26/2010 10:15:09 AM PST by mdmathis6 (True enlightenment occurs when one discovers just how much like God, one is NOT!)
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To: DCBryan1
Shot of Rocephin. Then if the child has been on antibiotics for over 48 hours without improvement (fever >100.1) switch to augmentin. Don't let them prescribe it twice a day, but get it 3 times a day. The twice a day dosing leads to more vomiting and gi complaints.

It's bad if pus is coming out of the ear and a visit to the ER isn't out of the question. I see it all the time.

20 posted on 12/26/2010 10:15:26 AM PST by Dick Vomer (democrats are like flies, whatever they don't eat, they sh#t on)
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